Education Therapy Service (ETS) expands to a further 19 special schools across nine counties

Find out more about the ETS at our free webinar on 17th September at 1pm

Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton, and Minister for Special Education and Inclusion, Michael Moynihan, have announced the expansion of the Education Therapy Service (ETS) to a further 19 special schools. You can view the official announcement here, with the list of the 19 special schools. The Education Therapy Service (ETS) is expanding to a further 19 special schools across nine counties, marking the next significant phase in the Government’s commitment to strengthening therapy supports for children and young people with special educational needs.

Further information on the ETS is available on the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) website. The NCSE will engage directly with participating schools regarding the next steps in implementation. As with the existing Phase 1 schools, any supports currently being provided to schools through existing services will continue, with ongoing engagement between the Department, NCSE and the HSE to support the phased implementation of the service.

Education Therapy Service Webinar

AOTI, in partnership with the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists, and in collaboration with the Department of Education and the NCSE, are hosting a webinar on the Education Therapy Service on Thursday 17th September from 12pm - 1pm online. The speakers will be:

• Nicola Jones: Principal Officer with the Department of Education and Youth and Head of the Therapy and Inclusion Unit in Special Education
• Áine Lawlor: Principal Officer with the NCSE and Head of the Education Therapy Service

You can register to attend this free webinare here: https://www.iaslt.ie/cpd-events/education-therapy-service-webinar-17th-september-2026-12pm-1pm/